Tuva Hellum Marschhäuser has a taste for density and brooding atmosphere, both elements that shine in her latest record under the moniker of Tuvaband. Reminiscing about 90s shoegaze, post-rock and punk, her music feels now a touch more claustrophobic, although coming with a message of hope. Her shift from ethereal electronics to guitar and percussive instruments, and a relocation to Berlin, enabled a new expression, one that feels urgent and determined.
Ahead of her show at Kantine am Berghain, supported by Hôy la, we invited Tuva to tell us a bit more about her new album I Entered the Void and what best represents her as a musician.
Kurt Vile – Hunchback
I’ve been inspired by Kurt Vile for many years now. The production and sound on this album, and the lyrics on all of his albums. When it comes to the lyrics, I’ve noticed that he uses words I’ve never heard before. And I like the way these words sound. I’ve even used some of these words in my songs after google-translating them. For example “wisecrack” (This might be a normal word in The UK/America, but I’ve never heard it before).
Feist – I Wish I Didn’t Miss you
This is one of the songs I’ve been listening to the most these last few years. The full album too. I really like the production, and I’ve had it in the back of my mind for both my last album and the new one.
The Octopus Project – Porno Disaster
I really like the sounds in this song and the drum sound in particular. I tried to copy this drum sound for my new album, but with slightly less distortion…
Anika – No One’s There
On my new album, I wanted my vocals to sound tougher, like Anika and Kurt Vile. So I kind of tried to sing like them on my drafts. Like I don’t care. The first person who heard my drafts, one who really knows what I want with my music, asked me what I’ve done to my vocals. He said it didn’t sound very natural to me. I listened again and even got a little embarrassed when I heard it back. I decided to just sing in a way that feels more natural to me, and re-recorded my vocals!
Dean Blunt ft. Inga Copeland – The Narcissist
Last year, I was told by Spotify that Dean Blunt was the artist I listened to the most in 2018. This must have influenced me somehow. I think…
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Tuvaband will perform at Kantine am Berghain on 19th January 2020. More info here.
